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R. J. HEWETT.

DIRECTIONALLY CONTROLLED SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 19 18 mama. Dec. 21, mm.

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2 T 9% N. KR Wm N/ T 1 3% m w w williidwwill Wm e mwm \J. W V 11 2%: EQ Q DIRECHONALLY CDN'FROLLED SIGNAL SYSTEM" UNITED STATES PATENT OEMQE.

ROBERT J. HEWETT, OF WESTEIELD, NEW JERSEY.

DIREGTION'ALLY-CONTBOLLED SIGNAL SYSTEM.

Application filed May 23,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT J. Hnwn'rr, a citizen of the United States, residing at VVestfielrl, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dire'ctionally- Controlled Signal Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to block signaling systems and more particularly to directionally controlled signal systems, which are sometimes referred to as absolute permissive block signal systems. One of the ob jects of the invention is to provide a signaling system of this character, in which normally closed circuits are utilized for obtaining the direction control of the signals.

Other objects of the invention are to pro vide a system of this character, in which the circuit arrangements are of a simple character, and the directional control cir- 'cuits are controlled by normally energized relays.

The invention will be clear from the description hereinafter to follow, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 and 2 of the drawings taken together show one embodiment of the inven tion.

1n the drawings, a single stretch of track shown between two sidings, designated TV and respectively, which single stretch of track is divided into track sections T T T, T T T T and T These track sections are equipped with the usual track circuits, which include the track relays l'l" to R respectively. he eastbound trafiic through the stretch of track is controlled by signals 10, 12 and 14, signals 10 and let being situated at the end of the stretch of track and signal 12 being an intermediate signal. In the same manner, the westbound traffic through the stretch of track controlled by signals 9, 11 and 13, which are disposed in a similar manner. The signals 9 and 10 at the passing siding W and the signals 13 and 14: at the passing siding X are controlled by a usual type of control circuit and the directional control is not applied to these signals but is applied to the intermediate signals 11 and 12,which are prorided with normally energized stick relays for providing the directional control,

will be hereinafter described.

. Referring first to the control: circuits for Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

191a. s i-m1 No. 236,134.

each of the signals, these circuits are of the usual polarized type for governing semaphore signals having three operative positions. The circuit for the line relay L at passing siding WV is as follows: from line relay L wire 20, contact 21 of track relay R line wire 22, contact 23 of track relay R wire 24, absolute control contact 25 of eastbound stick relay 5%, wire 26, absolute control contact 27 of eastbound control relay L wire 28, positive pole changer P of signal 12, wires 29, 30 and 31, battery 13, wires 32 and 33 to negative pole changer N of signal 12, and to the common wire C, back to the common side of the line relay L When the stick relay S is deenergized, the absolute control of line relay L through the contact 25" of stick relay S will be open and the permissive control will be established as follows: from wire 24, back contact 34?, wire 35, wire 28 to pole changer P, the portion of the circuit thus traced being in parallel to the circuit previously traced. Or in other words, the control circuit for the line relay L may be closed when the stick relay S is energized or deenergized, as will be hereinafter referred to.

The line control circuit for the intermediate eastbound signal 12 is as follows: from the line control relay L wire 20,. contact 21 of track relay R line wire 22, contact 25 of track relay R wire 26, contact 27 of track relay R line wire 28, contact 29 of track relay R wire 30, positive pole changer P of signal 14, wires 31 and 32 to battery B wire 33, negative pole changer N to the common wire C, back to the line relay L The control circuit for the line control relay L is only partially shown and is as follows: from line control relay L wire 20, contact 21 of track relay R to line wire 22 and thence to the eastbound signal in advance.

The circuits for controlling the line control relays L L and L of the westbound signals are similar, and will be referred to later.

The signals 10, 12 and 14 for eastbound traffic are of the three-position type and the line control relays for controlling these signals are of a type known as neutral p0- lar relays, and the circuits for controlling each of the signals are identical, and will be explained by referring to signal 10. The signal 10 has two local circuits, one for controlling its 45 position and the other for controlling its 90 position, the signal being in its zero position when both of these circuits are open. The circuit for the 45 position is as follows: from the positive terminal of the battery B wire 28, wire 44, contact 50 of line control relay L wire 51, to the signal 10, wire 52 and wire 29, back to the battery 13 The circuit for the 90 position of the signal is as follows: from the battery B wire 28, wire 44, contact 50", wire 53, contact 54, which is controlled by a polarized armature, wire 55 to signal 10, wire 52 and wire 29 back to the battery B The line relay L is adapted to be energized in a normal or reverse condition by currents passing through the circuit in opposite directions which are controlled by the pole changers P and N at the signal 12. When current of a normal condition is passing through the line relay L both contacts 50 and 54 are closed to close the motor circuit for the 90 position of the signal. l/Vhen, however, current of a reverse condition is passing through the circuit the neutral contact 50 alone will be closed to close the motor circuit for the 45 position, the 90 position being open at the contact 54. The neutral polar line relays at all of the other signals control the 45 and 90 motor circuits in the same manner and need not be further referred to other than to state that the contacts 50 and 54 control the motor circuits 'for the signal 12, contacts 50 and 54 the motor circuits for the signal 11, the contacts 50 and 54 the motor circuits for the signal 13, and the contacts 50 and 54 the motor circuits for the signal 14.

In tracing the circuit for the line relay L it was stated that the circuit for this relay was controlled by the stick relay S, the circuit being closed by the front contact 25 of this relay when the stick relay is energized and by the back contact 34 when the stick relay is deenergized, the circuits through these two contacts being in parallel or multiple with each other.

Referring now to the circuit for the stick relay S this circuit is normally energized by a local circuit, which is as follows: from the positive terminal of the battery B wire 31, wire 36, contact 37 wires 38 and 39, stick relay 8, wires 40 and 32 to the negative terminal of the battery 13. This type of circuit is commonly known as a holding circuit,since it includes an armature of the relay, which will maintain the circuit closed until the relay S is shunted, as will be later described. The stick relay S is also provided with. a restoring circuit for again energizing the relay after it has been deenergized. This circuit is normally open and is in multiple with the contact 37, the circuit being as follows: from battery 13, wires 31, 30 and 44, contact 43 of the line control relay L wire 43, circuit controller .48 (which is closed when the signal 12 is at its danger or stop position), wires 42, 41, and 39, stick relay S and wires 40 and 32, back to the battery B It will therefore be seen that this restoring circuit for the stick relay S is controlled by the line control relay L and is therefore only closed after the line control relay L has again become energized upon a train passing through the track section, as will be later referred to.

The shunting circuit for controlling the r eenergization of the stick relay S includes a back contact 46" of track relay 3 the circuit being as follows: from the stick relay 8, wire 39, wire 41, wire 45, back contact 46 (which is normally open), wire 47, circuit controller 48 (which is normally closed when the signal 12 is at its 45 or 90 position), wires 49, 33 and 40, to the stick relay S The. current from the battery B which normally passes from the wire 38 to the wire 39 and thence to the stick relay S, will, when this circuit is closed, pass instead of to the wire 39, to the wire 45, and through the circuit as traced, back to the point where the wire 40 is connected to the wire 33; or in other words, when the track relay R is deenergized its back contact will close a circuit to the battery 13, which is in parallel to the stick relay S and since the latter branch of the circuit is of greater resistance, it will be shunted and the relay deenergized. However, just as soon as the stick. relay is deenergized by virtue of the formation of this shunt circuit, the shunt itself will be opened by the opening of contact 37. The battery 3 will therefore be on the shunt circuit for a very short interval of time, which is just sufficiently long to permit the stick relay S to be deenergized. After the stick relay is de'c'nergized it can only again be energized by the closing of the restoring circuit, which is controlled by the restoring contact 43 and the circuit controller 48 of the signal 12. The circuits for controlling the westbound signals 9, 11 and 13 are similar to those for the eastbound signals just described, and will be briefly referred to. The signal 9 is controlled by the line control relay L only a portion of whose circuit is shown, starting from the common wire C, passing through the line relay L to wire 60, to contact 61 of track relay 11 and line wire 62 to the signal in advance. The signal 11 is controlled by the line control relay L whose circuit is as follows: from the line control relay L wire 60, contact 61 of track relay R line wire 62", contact 65 of track relay R wire 66, contact 67 of track relay R line wire 68, contact 69 of track relay R, w" a 70 to pole changer P of signal 9, Wii? and 72, to battery B wire 7 3 to negative pole changer P of signal 9, to'the common wire C, back to the line control relay L. It will therefore be seen that this circuit is controlled in the same manner as is the circuit for the line control relay L.

The line control relay L is similar to the circuit for the line control relay L but passes in the opposite direction, the circuit being as follows: from line control relay L wire 60, contact 61 of track relay R wire 62. contact 63 of track relay R flwire 64, contact 65* of stick relay 3, wire 66, contact 67 of line relay L wire 68, pole changer P of signal 11, wires 69, 70 and 71 to track battery B and wires 72 and 73. to common wire 0, back to the line relay L When the stick relay S is deenergized this circuit will be open at the contact 65 and the permissive control will be established as follows: from wire 64 to back contact 74, wire 75, wire 68 to the pole changer P at signal 11, to the battery B back to the common wire C, as described before.

The circuits for the stick relay 5, while performing the same functions as the circuits described in conjunction with thestick relay S, are somewhat varied, providing a different means for deenergizing the normally energized stick relay 8. This means consists of a differential winding 45 upon the stick relay S The circuit normally energizing the stick relay S is as follows: from the battery 13, wire 71, wire 36, contact 37 of the stick relay S wire 38, wire 39, stick relay S wire 40, wire 72, back to the battery B. This circuit is normally closed and is a stick or holding circuit similar to the circuit for the stick relay 8. To cle'e'nergize the stickrelay S the diiferential winding 45 is used, the circuit through this. winding being as follows: from the battery 13, wires 71 and 36, contact 37 of stick relay S wire 38, wire 39, differential winding 45*. wire 45, back contact 46 of track relay R wire 47, circuit controller 48 of signal 11, wires 49, 73 and 72. back to the battery B The winding 45 is wound opposite to the main winding of the stick relay, so that when this'last named circuit is closed at the contact 46 the stick relay S will be deenergized and the opening of the contact 37 will open both the stick circuit and the deenergizing or shuntingcircuit' described. the relay then remaining deenergized until it is restored by the restoring circuit, which is as follows: from the battery 13, wires 71, 70 and 44, contact 43 of line relay L wire 43, circuit controller 48. wires 41 and 39, stick relay S wires 40 and 72 back to the track battery B. It will therefore be seen that this restoring circuit is controlled by the line relay L in the same manner as is the restoring circuit for the stick relay S controlled by the contact 43 of the line relay L The pole changers .N and P are. operated by their corresponding signal device. When a signal device is in either its 45 or its 90 position its pole changers N and P will be in their normal position as shown, and the current will pass through the line relay controlled by the particular pole changer in one direction to hold its polarized contact device closed. When the signal device changes to its 0 position, the pole changer governed thereby will be operated to reverse the current through its line relay and open its polarized contact device. The opening of this contact device as a signal goes to stop position puts the signal controlled by it in its 45 position.

It is believed that with the above description of the relays and circuit arrangements, the operation of the system will be clear, and first referring to the movement of an eastbound train through the stretch of single track: the entry of the eastbound train into track section T by deenergizing the track relay R will open its contact 61 in the control circuit for the westbound control relay L", which will put the signal 9 to stop and consequently reverse the pole changers N and P. As before described, the pole changers N and P at signal 9 control the circuit for the line relay L so that the current which will now pass through the line relay L will reverse its polarity and open its polar contact 54 which will break the 90 motor circuit of thesignal 11., but will hold the 45 motor circuit closed a contact 50 The entry of the eastbound train into track section T will deenergize track relay R and its contact 21 will open the control circuit for the line control relay L, which will put the signal 10 to stop. The deenergization of the track relay R will also open contact 69*, which controls the line relay L of the westbound traiiic and the signal 11. willthen go. to stop. The deenergizing of the line control relay L will, by opening its contact 67 openthe circuit for the westbound. control relay L, which will cause the westbound signal 13 to go to stop.

It will therefore be seen that when an eastbound train enters the track section T the westbound signal 13 at the other end of the stretch of track goes to stop, which sets the route against westbound train move-' ments. which is frequently referred to as the absolute control against westbound train movements. When the train is in the track section T thetrack relay R is deenergized, which will hold open the circuit to the line relay L at contact 23", and the circuit to the line relay L at contact 67*. The cir cuits will therefore" remain in the same condition as when the train was in track sec tion T WVhen the train enters track section T the relay R being deenergized,

stick relay will therefore remain deener-- gized until its restoring circuit is closed, as will be referred to later.

The opening of front contact 25 of stick relay S will open the circuit which controls the absolute control of line relay L and establish the permissive control for this relay, so that as soon as the train enters track section T the control circuit for the line control relay L will be as follows: from line control relay L wire 20, contact 21 of track relay R line wire 22*, contact 23 of track relay R back contact 34 wires 35 and 28 to the negative pole changer N, which is now reversed by the stop position of the signal 12, wires 33 and 32, to battery 13", wires 31, 30 and 29 to positive pole changer P and from thence to the common wire C, back to the line control relay L at the signal 10.

The reverse current which now passes trough this circuit, due to the actuation of the pole changers, will cause line control relay L to be energized with reverse polarity and cause its polarized contact 54 to move to its open position, but closes the neutral contact 50 and the motor circuit for the 45 position. This will permit a second train to pass the signal 10, in accordance with the permissive rule.

While an eastbound train is in track section T T T and T, the line control relay L will remain deenergized, since the circuit for this line relay is controlled by the track relays of these sections. Upon the entry of the train into track section T the energization of track relay R will close the line control circuit for line control relay L and the energization of this relay will close the restoring circuit for the stick relay S at the contact 43", which is controlled by this contact and the circuit controller 48, which remains closed while the signal 12 is at stop The energization of the stick relay S will again close its holding circuit and restore this relay to its normal or absolute position.

While the eastbound train is in track section T, the deenergization of the track relay R will close the back contact 46", but this will not close the circuit through the differential winding 45* which remains open at circuit controller 48, since the signal 11 is at its stop position, and hence the stick relay will remain energized.

When the eastbound train enters track section T the track relay R will be energized and by the closing of its contact 61 the control circuit for the westbound signal 11 will be closed, which will clear this signal in the rear of the eastbound train; and it might be here stated that as the train clears out of track section T the closing of the contact 61 of track relay R will also clear the westbound signal 9 to the rear of the eastbound train.

The movement of a westbound train through the stretch of track is similar to the one described for the eastbound train, the passage of a westbound train through the track sections causing a deenergization of the stick relay 8, as the westbound train enters track section T to establish the permissive control similar to the manner in which the permissive control is established by the entry of an eastbound train into track section T In the same manner, the absolute control against eastbound trains is established by the entry of a train into track Section T, which opens the contact 29 of track relay R, which is included in the circuit of the line control relay L, which will cause the signal 12 to go to stop. Also the denergizing of the line control relay L will break the circuit of the line control relay L at the contact 27*, which will cause the signal 10 to go to stop, and set the route against eastbound trains. The further movement of the westbound train through the track causes similar operation of the signals, as did the movement of an eastbound train, and need not be further described.

At signal 12 it will be noted that line control relay L is symbolized as a slow releasing relay. The purpose of this is as follows: Normally energized stick relay S is deenergized by being put on short circuit by back contact 46 of track relay R Stick relay S is therefore inherently a slow releasing relay and will not be entirely deenergized until aft-er a certain time interval elapses after back contact 46 is closed. The short circuit on stick relay S is initiated by back contact 46 of track relay R and is eflt'ective until circuit controller 48 of signal 12 has passed below the 45 position, after which the short circuit will be broken. Stick relay S must therefore be de'energized during the movement of circuit controller 48 from its 90 position to a point below the 45 position. Variations in the resistance of back contact 46 may lengthen the time interval necessary to deenergize stick relay 8. In order to take care of this latter condition line relay L may be slow releasing as shown, which, by holding closed its contact 50 a short interval of time, will delay the movement of signal 12 from its 90 position downward and likewise its circuit controller 48 will remain closed a longer interval of time. This lengthened short circuit time interval should always be sufiicient to deenergize stick relay S.

effect.

inea es At signal 11, normally energizedsticlr'relay S is deenergized by a differentlal winding 45* which sets up an opposing field and is therefore instantaneous in its denerglzing Line relay L need not be slow releasing.

I claim:

1. In a directionally controlled block sig nal system, a stretch of single track divided into block sections, track relays for sa1d block sortions, a plurality of signals along the trackway, normally closed overlapplng line circuits for controlling said signals, said track relays controlling said circuits to open all of them when a train passes into the stretch of'track in one direction to thereby set the route against trains traveling in the opposite direction, a normally open auxiliary circuit in multiple with one of sand line circuits, and a relay operatlve to open said last named line circuit and to close said auxiliary circuit when a train passing through the stretch of track in the said opposite direction reaches an intermediate point to thereby actuate the signal to the rear of the train to permit a train traveling in the same direction to proceed and to open said auxiliary circuit and close said line circuit in multiple therewith when the train passes out of the stretch of track.

2. In directionally controlled block signal system, a stretch of single track divided into block sections, track relays for said block sections, a plurality of signals along the traclrway, normally closed overlapping line circuits for controlling said signals, said track relays controlling said circuits to open all of them when a train passes into the stretch of track in one direction to thereby set the route against trains traveling in the opposite direction, a normally open auxillary circuit in multiple wlth one of said line circuits, and a normally energized stick relay operative to open said lastnamed line circuit and to close said auxiliary circuit when a train passing through the stretch of track in the said opposite direction reaches an intermediate point to thereby actuate the signal to the rear of the train to permit a train traveling in the same direction to proceed and to open said auxiliary circuitand to close said line circuit in multiple therewith when the train passes out of the stretch of track.

3. In a directionally controlled block signal system, a stretch of single track divided into block sections, track relays for said block sections, a plurality of signals along the traekway, normally closed overlapping line circuits for controlling said signals,

said track relays controlling said circuits to open all of them when a train passes into the stretch of track inone direction to thereby set the route against trains traveling in the opposite direction, a "normally open auxiliary circuit in multiple with one of said line circuits, a circuit closer in control of both the said auxiliary circuitand line circuit, and a relay in control of the circuit closer operative to openthe line circuit and close the auxiliary circuit when a train passing through the stretch of track in the said opposite direction reaches an intermediate point to thereby actuate the signal to the rear of the train to permit a train traveling in the samedirection to proceed and to open the auxiliary circuit and close the line circuit in multiple therewith when the train passes out of the stretch of track.

l. In a directionally controlled blocksignal system, a stretch of single track divided into block sections, track relays for said block sections, a pluralityof signals along the trackway, normally closedoverlapping line circuits for controlling said signals, said track relays controlling said circuitsto open all of them when a train passes into the stretch of track in one direction to thereby set the route against trains traveling in the opposite direction, a normally open auxiliary circuit in multiple with one of-said line circuits, and means for opening said last named line circuit and for closing said auxiliary circuit when a train passing through the stretch of track in the said op posite direction reaches an intermediate point to thereby actuate the signal to the rear of the train to permit a train traveling in the same direction to proceed and for opening said auxiliary circuit and closing said line circuit in multiple therewith when the train passes out of the stretch of track, said means including a normally energized relay having a holding circuit, adiflerential winding on said relay, a circuit for said differential winding, and a restoring circuit for said relay.

5. In a directionally controlled block signal system, a stretch of singletrack divided into block sections, track relays for said block sections, a plurality of signals along the trackway, normally closed overlapping line circuits for controlling said signals, said track relays controlling said circuits to open all of them when a train passes into the stretch of track in one direction to thereby set the route againsttrains traveling in the opposite direction, a normally openauxiliary circuit in'multiple with one of said line circuits, and means for opening said last named line circuit and :for closing said auxiliary circuit when atrain passing'through the stretch of track in the said opposite direction reaches an intermediate point to thereby actuate the signal to the rea'rofthe train to permit a train traveling in thesame direction to proceed and for opening said auxiliary circuit and closing said line circuit in multiple therewith when the train passes out of the stretch of track, said means including a relay having a holding circuit, a deenergizing circuit controlled by said relay and a restoring circuit.

6. In a directionally controlled block signal system, a stretch of single track divided into block sections, track relays for said block sections, a plurality of signals along the trackway, normally closed overlapping line circuits for controlling said signals, said track relays controlling said circuits to open all of them when a train passes into the stretch of track in one direction to thereby set the route against trains traveling in the opposite direction, a normally open auxiliary circuit in multiple with one of said line circuits, and means vfor opening said last named line circuit and for closing said auxiliary circuit when a train passing through the stretch of track in the said opposite direction reaches an intermediate point to thereby actuate the signal to the rear of the train to permit a train traveling in the same direction to proceed and for opening said auxiliary circuit and closing said line circuit in multiple therewith when the train passes out of the stretch of track, said means including a relay having a holding circuit controlled by said relay, a differential winding for said relay, a circuit for said differential Winding controlled by said relay and a restoring circuit for said relay.

7. In a directionally controlled block signal system, a stretch of single track divided into block sections, track relays for said block sections, a plurality of signals along the trackway, normally closed overlapping line circuits for controlling said signals, said track relays controlling said circuits to open all of them when a train passes into the stretch of track in one direction to thereby set the route against trains traveling in the opposite direction, a normally open auxiliary circuit in multiple with one of said line circuits, and means for opening said last named line circuit and for closing said auxiliary circuit when a train passing through the stretch of track in the said opposite direction reaches an intermediate point to thereby actuate the signal to the rear of the train to permit a train traveling in the same direction to proceed and for opening said auxiliary circuit and closing said line circuit in multiple therewith when the train passes out of the stretch of track, said means including a normally energized relay having a holding circuit controlled thereby, a deenergizing circuit controlled by a track relay, and a restoring circuit for said relay.

8. In a directionally controlled block signal system, a stretch of single track divided into block sections, track relays for said block sections, a plurality of signals along the trackway, normally closed overlapping line circuits for controlling said signals, said track relays controlling said circuits to open all of them when a train passes into the stretch of track in one direction to thereby set the route against trains traveling in the opposite direction, a normally open auxiliary circuit in multiple with one of said line circuits, and means for opening said last namedline circuit and for closing said auxiliary circuit when a train passing through the stretch of track in the said opposite direction reaches an intermediate point to thereby actuate the signal to the rear of the train to permit a train traveling in the same direction to proceed and for opening said auxiliary circuit and closing said line circuit in multiple therewithwhen the train passes out of the stretch of track, said means including a normally energized relay having a holding circuit controlled by said relay, a normally open deenergizing circuit controlled by a track relay, and a restoring circuit controlled by a relay in a line control circuit and a circuit controller actuated by its corresponding signal.

9. In a directionally controlled block signal system, a stretch of single track divided into block sections, track relays for said block sections, a plurality of three-position signals along the trackway arranged at the ends and intermediate the stretch of track, normally closed overlapping line circuits for controlling said signals, an auxiliary circuit in multiple with the line circuit of one of the signals, a normally energized relay for mainining said auxiliary circuit open, and means or deenergizing said last named rel when a train passes through the track section in one direction but not in the other.

10. In a directionally controlled block sig- 105 nal system, a stretch of single track divided into block sections, track relays for said block sections, a plurality of three-position signals along the trackway arranged at the ends and intermediate the stretch of track, 110 normally closed overlapping line circuits for controlling said signals, an auxiliary circuit in multiple with the line circuit of one of the signals, a normally energized relay for maintaining said auxiliary circuit open, and 115 means for de'e'nergizing said last named relay when a train passes through the track section in one direction but not in the other, said means including a holding circuit for said relay controlled. by said relay, a de 120 energizing circuit controlled by a track relay and a circuit controller at the intermediate signal and a restoring circuit for said normally energized relay.

11. In a directionally controlled block sig- 125 nal system, a stretch of single track divided into block sections, track relays for said block sections, a plurality of three-position signals along the trackway arranged at the ends and intermediate the stretch of track, 130

normally closed overlapping line circuits for controlling said signals, an auxiliary circuit in multiple With the line circuit of one of the signals, a normally energized relay for maintaining said auxiliary circuit open, a holding circuit for said relay, a deenergizing circuit for said relay controlled by a track relay, a circuit controller actuated by the intermediate signal, a line relay in another of the overlapping line circuits, and a restoring circuit for said normally energized relay controlled jointly by said circuit controller and the last mentioned line relay.

In Witness whereof I subscribe my signature.

ROBERT J. I-IEWETT. 

